Table 3.
Responses to the questionnaire about sEMG biofeedback by healthy (n = 83) and stroke (n = 14) participants
| Group | What was good about using sEMG? | % (n) | What was bad about using sEMG? | % (n) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Healthy (n = 83) | Visual feedback about performance and progress/re-enforcing correct technique | 38.6 (32) | Nothing | 47.00 (39) |
| Feels odd/unnatural/ “stiffening”/ felt like the restriction of the pad may have changed swallow | 8.4 (7) | |||
| Could see what I was trying to achieve and aim for/gave me a target/personal best | 21.7 (18) | |||
| Distracting | 6.0 (5) | |||
| Interesting/fascinating | 18.1 (15) | Abrasive skin preparation | 3.6 (3) | |
| Made it fun/enjoyable | 10.8 (9) | Taking off the electrodes | 2.4 (2) | |
| Helped me to understand the exercise/swallowing | 7.2 (6) | Confusing | 2.4 (2) | |
| Fatigue | 1.2 (1) | |||
| Non invasive | 4.8 (4) | Made me cough | 1.2 (1) | |
| Quick and easy to set up | 3.6 (3) | Used other muscles to complete task | 1.2 (1) | |
| Helped motivate/encourage me | 3.6 (3) | It is quite hard to swallow normally when you know you are being tested | 1.2 (1) | |
| Easy to understand | 3.6 (3) | |||
| Comfortable | 3.6 (3) | Felt under pressure to meet target | 1.2 (1) | |
| Being able to see the muscles working | 2.4 (2) | Position of the screen above my head, would have been better at eye-level | 1.2 (1) | |
| Screen clear/easy to see | 2.4 (2) | |||
| No comment | 6.0 (5) | Large equipment, small, portable version would be nicer | 1.2 (1) | |
| Coordinating EMG, spoon and swallow together was hard at first | 1.2 (1) | |||
| No comment | 4.8 (4) | |||
| Stroke (n = 14) | I could see how I was doing which was helpful | 35.7 (5) | Nothing | 78.6 (11) |
| Made it a challenge/gives you a target | 14.3 (2) | Didn't like smell of alcohol wipe | 7.1 (1) | |
| Helps you know how to practise | 7.1 (1) | Didn't like electrodes stuck | 7.1 (1) | |
| You know what you have to do after the session | 7.1 (1) | My feedback loop is not strong enough. Not clear what to do to improve things | 7.1 (1) | |
| Very happy with the system | 7.1 (1) | |||
| Motivating | 7.1 (1) | |||
| Measurement of muscles | 7.1 (1) | |||
| You (SLT) can see how I am doing | 7.1 (1) | |||
| No comment | 21.4 (3) |